How to Identify Unsafe Baby Products

Baby product safety has improved significantly through federal regulation, but recalls still occur regularly. The stakes are high: defects in sleep environments, car seats, and carriers can have severe consequences. Knowing what to check before and after purchase gives you the most reliable protection.

The Highest-Risk Baby Product Categories

Sleep surfaces (cribs, bassinets, play yards, sleep positioners)

The CPSC has mandatory safety standards for full-size cribs, portable cribs, bassinets, and play yards. Key checks:

• Slat spacing must be no more than 2⅜ inches apart (prevents head entrapment)
• Hardware must be tight and complete, no missing screws or broken parts
• Mattress must fit snugly, no gaps between mattress and crib sides
• Sleep positioners and inclined sleepers marketed for infant sleep have been linked to infant deaths and the CPSC advises against them

Check: Search the brand and model at cpsc.gov/Recalls before use, including used cribs.

Car seats

Car seats must be federally certified. The NHTSA maintains a database of recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls, search by manufacturer name and model number. Car seats expire (typically 6 to 10 years after manufacture) due to plastic degradation; the expiration date is on a label on the seat.

Baby monitors and smart monitors

Standard audio/video monitors are generally low-risk. Smart monitors claiming to detect vital signs (like the Owlet) are medical devices and face separate regulatory scrutiny. The FDA has required changes to some devices in this category. Check fda.gov for current status of specific devices.

Infant carriers and slings

Check for recalls at cpsc.gov/Recalls. The CPSC has recalled specific carriers for fall risk. When using any carrier, the infant's face should always be visible and the chin should not rest on the chest.

How to Check Any Baby Product Before Use

Step 1: Find the model name, model number, and manufacture date on the product label.

Step 2: Search at Recalls.gov and CPSC.gov/Recalls.

Step 3: For car seats, also search at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Step 4: Register the product with the manufacturer after purchase. For baby products specifically, manufacturers must include a product registration card under CPSC regulations.

Used Baby Products: Extra Caution Required

Used baby products, particularly from garage sales, thrift stores, and online marketplaces, carry additional risk:

• Cribs and car seats may have been recalled without the seller knowing
• Structural integrity may be compromised in ways not visible
• Car seats involved in accidents should not be reused even if they look undamaged
• Car seats that have reached their expiration date should not be used

Before using any used baby product, check it against current recall databases and assess its physical condition carefully.

Where to Report Unsafe Baby Products

If you encounter a baby product with a safety hazard:

• CPSC
• The CPSC publishes consumer incident reports, creating a record that informs future safety investigations